Recording software for the complete idiot

squirefan01 · Post by **squirefan01** » Tue Aug 07, 2007 10:09 am

Somebody told me about "Band in a Box" last week. It's for PC & Mac. Has anybody heard of that? Maybe more of a toy than serious recording software but it's supposed to be easy to use.

Here are some tutorial for it...

http://www.pgmusic.com/bbdemovideos.htm

squirefan01 · Post by **squirefan01** » Tue Aug 07, 2007 11:05 am

That Sonar does look nice. Is the XL version necessary for home use? I want to be able to create everything on the PC except the bass.

brammy · Post by **brammy** » Tue Aug 07, 2007 12:01 pm

Band in a Box looks like it could be a fun computer exercise, but if you want to be the actual creator of the various parts I would think that GarageBand would be a better starting point for the amateur who just wants to mess around:

sharkboy · Post by **sharkboy** » Tue Aug 07, 2007 1:00 pm

GarageBand looks simpler and more easy to use than Sonar, but I can't imagine that GB is anywhere near as powerful.

If I had my 'druthers, I'd be on Digital Performer back on a Mac, but I'm on Sonar on a PC. There's nothing wrong with it, but the interface does actually require a bit more effort than a longtime Mac nut can be thrilled with.

leesh · Post by **leesh** » Thu Aug 16, 2007 9:49 pm

There's a new GB coming out with iLife '08. Every improvement they've made so far has been really a step up.

firstbassman · Post by **firstbassman** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 5:40 am

Sorry, a little late to this thread but have some additional info.

Yes, Kent this has been discussed before but nothing wrong with getting some updated input.
Here is my two cents.

I have a “Lite 4” copy of Audacity and thought it was the least intuitive of all the recording software programs. At least all of the others (except for GarageBand and its clone) attempt to look like a physical representation of a mixing board. Audacity did not. That might be a good thing and I admit I did not take much time to try and learn it.

As alluded to just above, if one is interested in GarageBand, there is an alternative to buying a Mac. M-Audio makes a GB-clone-like product called Session:

http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/Session-main.html

When I first tried it, I hated it. It was too “automated” for me. I prefer the look and feel of a physical mixing board.
There is also the issue that Session only works with M-Audio USB input devices. That may or may not still be the case. But it is only $50 and probably worth a look.

Members of my band have Cubase and Sonar. Not certain which versions though. They look, on the surface, to be similar in “ease-of-use” (or lack there of) and features.

Band in a Box (BiaB) is a great program but it is a different type of app than the others discussed here. It is not a mixing and affects processor. It is more of a (for lack of a better term) “composing” tool. I use it to help write songs. And it is also very good for creating “backing” tracks to help jam with or to practice leads against.

PGMusic, however, does sell a studio program. It is called Power Tracks:

http://www.pgmusic.com/powertracks.htm

I have not tried it yet.

By far, the easiest studio mixing program I have found is Magix’s Music Studio:

http://www.magix.com/us/music-studio/

It also includes a Midi program as well.

Their technical support leaves a lot to be desired, but it is only $80 and, as I said, is the easiest of all the apps I’ve seen. (Though I still haven’t fully figured out how any of its four built-in drum machines work.) It is fully functional however and certainly meets my modest needs.

Hope that helps.

godber · Post by **godber** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 11:29 am

I use Cubase, but I started with Making Waves. It was easy to use so ideas can be captured quickly.

Free demo here -

https://www.makingwavesaudio.com/makingwavesaudio_downloads.asp

brammy · Post by **brammy** » Wed Aug 29, 2007 6:50 am

Thanks Mark... VERY helpful.

I went to my local Apple store yesterday and the MiniMacs sell for $600 or $800 (the later having more memory and also DVD burning ability). Add another $200 for cables and such (they have a neat switchbox allowing use of my existing PC monitor) and we're talking about a grand. Not cheap. Some PC program looks like it might be a good alternative to spending all that money.

"Sessions" does indeed look a lot like GarageBand:

"Powertracks" has lots of features too, and does have a mixer board interface:

"Music Studio" also looks good, and Magix offers a bunch of other audio/video editing software:

"Making Waves" is a UK based product and I could not find any pix of the interface.

Hmmmmmm.... my needs are also modest - just fooling around to create songs that GUARANTEED will only be heard by myself and close friends who agree ahead of time not to laugh. What should I get, "Sessions" or "Music Studio"? Ease of use is important to me as I want to spend my time playing music instead of reading manuals. Is Music Studio really that much easier than Sessions?

Here's a dumb question.... with either of these products, do I just use a 1/4 to mini adapter and plug my guitar into the back of the computer?

leesh · Post by **leesh** » Wed Aug 29, 2007 10:27 am

You can go that route with the adapter or you can get a USB/Firewire interface. With that, it's all about quality. Spending $100-150 on an interface might be a lot better way to go than just a adapter cable.

M-Audio makes some great budget interfaces. Check out their website.

lyle_from_minneapolis · Wed Aug 29, 2007 11:20 am

One of the best-reviewed of the somewhat affordable interfaces is the Presonus Firebox. It's my next purchase. They are often scored barely used on eBay for around $200 but retail for $300.

brammy · Post by **brammy** » Wed Aug 29, 2007 2:27 pm

Presonus Firebox

M-Audio FireWire 410 (4-in/10-out)

.... which is better?

Certainly a box (possibly larger than these) would be needed if recording multiple inputs simultaniously (like a multi-miked band setup), right?

But I would guess that for a solo person making simple home recordings a regular cable would be sufficient for input of a guitar to the computer .... and that a USB interface like these would be very useful for microphone input.

Am I sorta on track here?

brammy · Post by **brammy** » Wed Aug 29, 2007 2:50 pm

Presonus Firebox gets very good reviews
http://www.macmusic.org/articles/view.php/lang/en/id/95/

The Phones Level goes all the way up to 11,
so it's just gotta be good!

alanz · Post by **alanz** » Wed Aug 29, 2007 7:53 pm

Yes, basically. Check this site out (lots of info):

http://www.tweakheadz.com/index.html

brammy · Post by **brammy** » Thu Aug 30, 2007 7:31 am

Thanks Alan, great site.

The Firebox seems get great reviews from the pros and from MOST of the amateur reviewers. It seems that people either rave about it or trash it saying that it came defective out of the box.... there are enough of the trash people that it could be that Presonus has a quality problem (or it could just be your usual cross-section of dingbats). The Firebox is about $300. If you preorder ZZSounds will throw in a pair of AKG K55 Headphones, a $40 value. But wait! Oder in the next 10 minutes they'll also send you Popeil's Pocket Fisherman!

One thing: Firebox is not compatible with Windows 2000.

Here's the Firebox software interface:

brammy · Post by **brammy** » Thu Aug 30, 2007 7:47 am

Firebox can come packaged with Cubase LE.

Does anyone have experience with how Firebox works with the lower priced "Sessions" or "Music Studio"?